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Letting Our Light Shine: Awakening to the Love Within & Without

As I’ve been witnessing the outpouring of kindness, compassion, humor, giving, understanding, and togetherness, amazing people like YOU have been sharing since the pandemic turned our worlds upside down, I realized: We’re collectively making Love. Not the way we usually use the phrase, but in its literal, and original sense. We’re making, creating, expanding, increasing, and growing Big Love, the kind that thinks of, values, and gives for/to others, even when it hurts! To reimagine some powerful words from philosopher and author Albert Camus, I’d venture to say:

In the midst of Corona, we’re realizing there is, within us, infinite Love.

In the midst of the great unknown, we’re seeing there is, within us, an untouchable peace.

In the midst of fears, we’re discovering there is, within us, irresistible kindness and compassion.

Through it all, we’re awakening to the Truth that…

In the midst of physical distancing, we’re learning there is, within us, an undefeatable togetherness.

And that makes me joyous. For it reminds us that no matter how hard life pushes against us,

within you and I, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.

When someone is called a mystic, a contemplative, insightful, or a saint, do you get the same positive picture in your mind I do? It seems to me, our collective enforced stillness, slowness, and reduction in busyness has guided us into an unplanned and potent space of contemplation, introspection, and soul searching. Each of these are qualities of mystics, contemplatives, saints, and insightful people, which means we’re becoming those things! More to the point, this communal pause is turning our attention and focus to what really matters in life, what we truly desire, and who we really are!

Life’s meaning, our deep longings, and our essence are like a multicolored ball of yarn, in that their intertwined, interconnected, and related. As my experiences inform my beliefs, and beliefs inform my experiences, it becomes increasingly clear to me Love (the kind that’s willing to die for another or give the shirt off your back to someone in need without a second thought) is not only at the heart of you, I, and the rest of humanity, but is fundamental to reality itself! And, for the most part, during this season of Coronavirus, day-by-day, post-by-post, and conversation-by-conversation I see this Love increasingly move us, connect us, inspire us to give, lead us to understanding, and open our hearts to compassion. Even though most of us are physically apart, Love is drawing us closer together than ever before!

When our lives slow down and things get quiet on the outside, the typically stormy seas of our thoughts respond in kind, and our insides also calm. As the waters of our minds then grow clear, we can see into our depths, and can realize Love has always been shining from our innermost self, like a gift from heaven (which I believe it is). Have you noticed this in your life? What practices/activities help your mind quiet, centers you, fills you up, and helps you remember what matters most in life? It seems they typically involve some element of physical activity and, for lack of a better phrase, a rhythmic activity that relaxes our minds. I enjoy walking, running, being in nature, yoga, meditation, singing, contemplation, cooking, enjoying good wine, relishing a shower, and dancing, to name a few.

If you don’t see this in yourself and/or others, I hear you. I get it. There is still plenty of messed up stuff going on, enough to make a person curl up and cry! Side-by-side with this, even if we don’t believe it, at a minimum, I bet if we act like Love is at the center of each of us and Life itself, we’ll become better, happier, more connected to and caring toward others, and make the world a bit more amazing! Give it a try for 21 days (the amount of time it takes to start a new habit).

I picture our part of Love as an orchestra with 7.8 billion different instruments, and growing. What I mean is, each person on earth most freely and fully Loves in her or his own beautifully unique way! With that in mind I ask: What lights YOU up? Love like that! Give Love away like fistfuls of Halloween candy (i.e. joyously and with no expectation of return) in ways that align with what makes you, you! For instance, I dig writing, yoga, self-study, community, transformative/enlivening practices, and Jesus, and when I Love others those ways it often feels effortless and energizing. I have a hunch that when we Love like this, being willing to give our lives for the sake of others, should it come to that, would be a no-brainer!

Eoin (pronounced “Ian”) says bliss stands for Beautiful Living is Super Simple, because when we slow down, remember what truly matters in life, realize there’s an infinite wellspring of Love within us, and joyously shine our own irreplaceable color of this Love, it’s not hard, it’s natural! What do you think? Is there any way this can bless and/or aid you today? I believe in you, and will leave us with Albert Camus’ original words that inspired me above:

In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.

In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.

In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.

I realized, through it all, that…

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.

If you enjoyed this you can sign up for email notifications of future blogs on the top right. Additionally, I have a Facebook page where I regularly post articles, blogs, quotes, meditations, etc. to encourage us to more Light and Love. Again, to the top right there’s a link for you to “Like” the page, as well as my Instagram account if you’re interested. ❤

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